Digging Deeper: Players Who Wore No. 30

Man, yesterday sucked. However, no matter the outcome, Ohio State will play Oregon State to start the 2018 season in 30 days. Holding out hope that Urban Meyer will still be on the sidelines.

Below, you will find a list with the 36 players who wore No. 30 for the Buckeyes. Today's featured players are David Katterhenrich and Greg Bellisari. You will learn why Bellisari moved Ohio State from last on his list to first and what he is doing today.

Players Who Wore No. 30 At Ohio State

PLAYER

WORN

B1G MVP

TEAM MVP

AA

CAPT.

1R NFL

ALL B1G

AC AA

NFL DRAFT

AC B1G

LETTER

Vernell Roberts

1934

Walter Seaman

1935

Louis Young

1938

1938

Ewing Bruckner*

1940

1940

Dick Zimmerman

1941

Paul Priday*

1942

1942

Jasper Harris

1943

Herbert Gorby

1945

1945

Jack Wagner*

1950

1950

Paul Ludwig*

1952

1952

Joseph Hans

1953

James Young

1954-55

Patrick McCarthy

1956

Ralph Gage

1958

1958

David Katterhenrich*

1960, 1962

1963

1962

1960, 1962

Stephan Dreffer*

1964

1964

Thomas Portsmouth

1965-67

1966

1965-67

Almond Mathis

1971-73

1971-73

Charles Simon

1974

1974

Joel Payton

1977-78

1977-78

Brien Smith

1981

Michael Kee

1983-85

1983-85

Dedrick Howard*

1987

Otto Susec

1988

Brent Johnson

1989-92

1989-92

Greg Bellisari

1993-96

1996

1995, 1996

1994, 1995, 1996

1993-96

Mark Lovely

1993

Jason Ott

1997-2000

1998, 1999, 2000

1998-99

Lydell Ross

2001-04

2004

2001-04

Sirjo Welch

2004-05

2004-05

Dre Riddick

2006

Donnie Evege

2007-11

2009

2009

Devan Bogard

2012-14

2012-14

Jared Drake

2015-17

DeMario McCall

2016-18

Kevin Dever

2018

*Wore another number at Ohio StateDid not earn a varsity letter while wearing No. 30

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 21-5-1 with Katterhenrich on the team.
1961 National Champion.
1961 Big Ten Title.
Went 3-0 against That Team and outscored them 85-20.

Honors
1962 Academic All-Big Ten.

Katterhenrich's senior bio per The Ohio State Team Guide:

6-1, 209...from Bucyrus...after playing understudy to All-American Bob Ferguson for two years, Katterhenrich is ready to take over...saw limited action in all nine games last year, chiefly on offense...top game was against Wisconsin, when Ferguson was hurt in the first series of downs and Katterhenrich paced the Buckeye attack, netting 71 yards in 17 carries...averaged five yards per carry last year.

Won ten high school letters and All-Ohio honors at fullback...called "Kat"...majoring in psychology...hobbies are hunting and fishing...works for the highway department during the summer.

Learns quickly...fits into the tradition of strong-running Ohio State fullbacks...has been bothered by a series of injuries...very cheerful, pleasant disposition.

Katterhenrich will be the newest member of the Crawford County Sports Hall of Fame David Katterhenrich, a Bucyrus native, is part of the 2016 Crawford County Sports Hall of Fame.(Photo: Submitted Photo) BUCYRUS – People from Ohio are known as Buckeyes. But for 2016 Crawford County Sports Hall of Fame inductee David Katterhenrich, living as a Buckeye meant more than just growing up in the state. It meant being a Buckeye on the gridiron. From his days as a dominant force at Bucyrus High School to playing for the legendary Woody Hayes at The Ohio State University and even playing for Paul Brown as a member of the Cleveland Browns, Katterhenrich was a Buckeye.

But his story really begins in Crawford County. Katterhenrich began his athletic career for the Bucyrus Redmen in the late 50’s. He played basketball, football and track setting multiple school records and collecting numerous awards. But his success didn’t start in high school. “I still remember playing in the field by the cemetery in town,” Katterhenrich said. “There would always be a bunch of us kids out there playing pick-up football games and it would carry over to us playing at halftime of the varsity games. We really thought we were something.”

Turns out, Katterhenrich did turn into something. He was part of the mile relay team that set the school record in 1958 and helped his team to back-to-back Northern Ohio League Championships in 1958 and ’59. He also owned the record for the shot put and discus at Bucyrus and earned the Michael MVP trophy in basketball during the 1958-59 season.

A high school influence and his Ohio State playing days:

After graduating, he decided to play for the legendary coach Woody Hayes at The Ohio State University and was a 3-year letter winner during his time as a Buckeye. He was 3-0 against Michigan earning the coveted Gold Pants and was awarded the Greatest Desire Award in 1959.

In 1961, Katterhenrich played fullback on the Big Ten and National Championship team and in 1962 was named to the All-Academic Big Ten team. Being a Buckeye meant he had to continue his football career and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns.

His thoughts on being inducted in the Crawford County Sports Hall of Fame:

“I am really humbled by it and I could not believe it when I got the call,” Katterhenrich said. "I honestly didn’t know they had one as we have been out of the area for 30 years. It is unbelievable. Some of these guys in the hall of fame were my heroes growing up so it is an honor.”

Dave was a secondary Health, Physical Education and OWE teacher for forty-five years at various central and southeast Ohio schools. Dave played varsity football as a fullback at The Ohio State University under Woody Hayes from 1960-1962. He was part of the National Championship Team in 1961, and a member of the Varsity O. Later, Dave was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. Dave enjoyed fishing, hunting and flower gardening.

6-1, 230...from Boca Raton, FL...Led the team in tackles last year with 98...one of 10 finalists for the Butkus Award...First-team Academic All-America...will be on his third year as a starter...started on the outside as a sophomore and in the middle last year...could spend time at both spots this season and is capable of playing any of the three linebacker positions...not real big as linebackers go, but a very intelligent player, who has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Will be a candidate for postseason honors this year and a nominee for a National Football Foundation Post Graduate Scholarship...outstanding leader...the consummate student-athlete.

First team all-state (class AAAA) and South Florida Player of the Year as a senior...also a standout baseball player...A National Football Foundation Scholarship winner.

Although he said family pressure played no role in his decision, Greg Bellisari will continue family tradition and attend Ohio State.

Bellisari, a Class 4A All-State linebacker from Boca Raton High who earned the Sun-Sentinel`s Defensive Player of the Year award, made an oral commitment to the Buckeyes at 11 p.m. Tuesday and announced his decision Wednesday afternoon.

``It came down to where my heart was and where I felt the most comfortable,`` Bellisari said.

Bellisari`s father, Art, played strong safety at Ohio State; his mother, Mary Beth, is also an OSUgraduate; and his sister, Annette, went to the school for two years.

``I feel relieved that he feels that I didn`t influence his decision,`` Art Bellisari said. ``That was very important to me from the beginning. We exhausted every avenue to make this decision.``

The phone calls, visits and pressure took a toll on Bellisari, who looked relieved he made his choice a week before the Feb. 3 signing date.

``It`s my dream and goal to start next year and Ohio State had the best opportunity for me in that respect,`` Bellisari said.

Bellisari selected Ohio State over Florida State, his other finalist. Michigan was eliminated at 10 p.m. Tuesday, while Florida and Georgia were crossed off earlier in the night. Despite the family ties, the Buckeyes started as a long shot when the recruiting process began.

``Ohio State came from the last position to the first,`` Bellisari said. ``They had the toughest job to do to impress me because of my dad.``

Buckeyes coach John Cooper, who visited Bellisari on Thursday night, overcame the disadvantage to get Palm Beach County`s most heavily recruited player. Bellisari, 6 feet 2, 225 pounds, was a two-time All-County pick who had 239 tackles and blocked seven extra points the past two seasons. Coaches from 27 major universities visited Bellisari and about 40 schools expressed serious interest.

Bellisari said if he can`t start or earn solid playing time, he would ask to redshirted next year. In the past two seasons Bellisari became known for his wild-eyed sideline-to-sideline pursuit of ball carriers. He`s a crushing tackler who gained needed weight and speed between his junior and senior seasons to become a major Division I recruit.

``He`s definitely got to be the most highly recruited athlete ever out of Boca High,`` coach Jay Minton said. ``Maybe the most highly recruited athlete I`ve ever dealt with. It`s a process and a half. It`s an intense process, it`s a grueling process.``

Today Greg Bellisari is known as Dr. Bellisari. His bio page per ohio-ortho.com:

Dr. Greg Bellisari is an orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in Sports Medicine. A Florida Native, he completed undergraduate training and medical school at The Ohio State University. Dr. Bellisari went on to complete a specialized "fellowship" training program in Sports Medicine at OrthoCarolina while caring for amateur, collegiate and professional
athletes.

Dr. Bellisari has highly trained arthroscopic experience in orthopedic conditions
of the knee, shoulder, and elbow as well as in reconstructive surgery. As a former professional athlete himself, Dr. Bellisari shares a passion for athletics and for athletes of all levels of play. He adds, "I am dedicated to getting athletes back on the field of play and people back to the activities they enjoy". In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife and four children.